King expects Gators to turn it around

Vicky King and the girls who play soccer for her at Land O'Lakes are generally used to winning. The Gators are considered one of the most competitive teams in Pasco County.

However, the team is off to a rough start this season, with a 3-3-5 record and just six goals scored.

"Every time I feel like we're about to turn the corner, we're about to get there, it's about to come, it just doesn't," King said after a 1-0 loss to district rival Zephyrhills on Friday. "I can't do it for them, and I've played a lot of different combinations and we're going to find whatever it takes to make it work."

The Gators are still 3-2-2 in the district, but they have been playing tight games all season. Land O'Lakes has had three scoreless ties and three 1-0 losses, and top scorers Kayla Robinson and Nikki Forcier have just four goals between them.

King keeps all this in perspective when addressing her players, and she has seen improvement. She expects the team to be in the hunt at the end of the season.

"I think by the end of the year that this team will definitely find itself," King said. "They keep growing and growing and they're going to find the way to win. I'd never expect this, and I expected us to win more games.

"They've all been close games, all one-goal games. We just have to put the ball in the net."

Speedy Bulldog

The Zephyrhills girls soccer team has converted an athlete into a soccer player, welcoming junior Jamieshia Parker to the team.

"In track, she's the fastest girl in Pasco County," Bulldogs coach Michael Mira said. "She's never played soccer before, but we put her up there at forward and just let her run to the ball."

Parker, is the top 100- and 200-meter runner for the track team and holds numerous school records.

Mira has worked hard with her on her ball-handing skills, and she is second on the team with three goals, including the winner against Land O'Lakes on Friday.

"Fortunately, Jamieshia is faster than anyone on the field, but she has to develop some sort of touch," Mira said. "She had two goals in three games, so she's getting to a point where she's getting comfortable in taking a shot, and this might work out really well for us later in the season."

Well-to-do Wildcat

Wesley Chapel's Rafael Morales-siu has the talent, which is evident in his stats so far this season. The senior has 15 goals and three assists, and he hasn't even played in every game for the Wildcats.

"He's got really quick feet and he can finish with both feet," Wesley Chapel coach Brian Dorkowski said. "He can go either way with (the ball) and he's probably one of the top players around the county."

Morales-siu transferred from California his junior season. He helped his team there to the equivalent to a state title, and he trains with the Olympic Development Team in Florida. He has missed some Wildcats games to be with that team, and he played only 14 games last season, but he still had 14 goals.

"He averages about a goal a game," Dorkowski added. "That's impressive within itself."